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Cuba – SL Presidents meet

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe, embarked on an official visit to Cuba ahead of his participation in the G77 plus China Summit in Havana on September 15-16, hosted by Cuba as the current Chair of the G77 plus China. 

During his visit, President Wickremesinghe engaged in bilateral discussions with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, reinforcing the bonds of friendship and dialogue between the two nations.

President Wickremesinghe’s arrival in Cuba was marked by a warm welcome, as he received a Guard of Honour at the Palace of Revolution. President Díaz-Canel Bermudez expressed Cuba’s appreciation for the visit, emphasizing its significance during these challenging times globally. He praised Sri Lanka’s commitment to friendship with Cuba and to the vital role played by the G77 and China in representing the global South.

In their discussions, President Wickremesinghe recalled the history of bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba, particularly in multilateral forums. Both nations have supported each other on issues like lifting sanctions against Cuba and human rights matters. They identified areas of future cooperation, including public health, agriculture and sports.

President Díaz-Canel accepted President Wickremesinghe’s invitation to visit Sri Lanka in 2024, underscoring Cuba’s continued support for Sri Lanka. He also highlighted Cuba’s role in addressing North-South gaps in Science, Technology and Innovation, expressing willingness to share expertise, particularly in vaccine development.

The two leaders emphasized the importance of bolstering the relationship between their countries, focusing on collaboration in medicine, healthcare, sports training and coconut cultivation. President Wickremesinghe expressed Sri Lanka’s commitment to supporting Cuba in international forums, while President Díaz-Canel assured support for Sri Lanka regarding human rights resolutions.

This meeting represents a significant step forward in strengthening diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Cuba, with far-reaching implications for both nations and the broader global community. President Wickremesinghe was accompanied by key officials, including Secretary Foreign Affairs Ms. Aruni Wijewardane, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Cuba Mr. Lakshitha Ratnayake, the Director General of the United Nations and Multilateral Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Rekha Gunasekera and Private Secretary to the President Ms. Sandra Perera.

(President’s Media Division)

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Fairly heavy rains expected today

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The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Sabaragamuwa, Central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Polonnaruwa and Hambantota districts during the afternoon or night today (April 19).

The department noted that fairly heavy falls of above 50 mm are likely at some places in these areas.

Showers may occur in Western province and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts in the morning.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the morning.

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Massive turnout of devotees for ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’

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The ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’, the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, which commenced yesterday (April 18), continues today (April 19) for its second day.

Accordingly, devotees have been given the opportunity to pay their respects to the Sacred Tooth Relic today from 12 noon to 5:30 p.m.

Media reports indicate that nearly 100,000 devotees had worshipped the Sacred Tooth Relic yesterday (April 18).

Many devotees stayed in long queues overnight, lighting oil lamps and can be seen waiting to pay their homage today.

Kandy Municipal Commissioner Indika Kumari Abeysinghe stated that due to the unexpectedly large turnout on the first day, several pre-planned arrangements had to be adjusted.

In addition to the facilities provided by the Kandy Municipal Council for the devotees who come to worship the Sacred Tooth Relic, temples and mosques in the area have also been opened for the devotees, she further stated.

Meanwhile, as of early this morning, one of the queues of devotees waiting to pay homage had reportedly extended more than 8 km – from near Kandy’s Red Bridge area (Rathu Bokkuwa) to the Ketawala area along the Thalathuoya road.

Local residents had treated the devotees who had waited in queues all night with tea and water and had also provided accommodation to some devotees at their homes.

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Earth slips block Beragala-Wellawaya road

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Traffic on the Beragala–Wellawaya road has been disrupted due to earth slips near the Viharagala area (184 km post), the Disaster Management Centre reported.  

The Badulla District Deputy Director has alerted relevant authorities to clear the debris and restore normal traffic flow.  

Motorists are advised to use the Ella–Wellawaya road as an alternative route until the road is cleared. Authorities are working to resolve the issue promptly.  

Stay tuned for further updates.

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